Island



UNITED T OFFICE.

STEPHEN W'ILGOX, JR., 013 WVESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,618, dated November 10, 1857.

T22 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN WILoox, J r., of Westerly, Washingtoncounty, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Printing- Presses; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,in which- Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is an end elevation.Fig. 3 is an end view of the platen and fly, and similar lettersindicate similar parts throughout.

My invention consists, firstly, in the method of giving the impression;secondly, in the method of flying the sheets.

The construction and operation is as follows:

The frame is of any convenient form, and has on its top the level bed A.Above the bed is the platen B, which is rolled over the bed to give theimpression. Through the top of the platen passes shaft 6. Radius bars C,C, are fixed at their lower ends to shaft d so as to turn with it, theirupper ends receiving the ends of shaft 6. The main drawing shaft 0; hascranks a (one only shown) at each end. Upon the crank pins are rollersplaying in slots 6. By turning the crank handle a, the action of thecrank pin rollers upon the sides of the slots, will cause radius bars 0,C, to yibrate, and platen B, to roll back and forth over the bed. Theupper ends of the radius bars will describe arcs of circles whichapproach the bed when moving toward the extremes of motion, and recedefrom it when moving toward the central point of its motion; consequentlyif the face of B, was turned upon centers corresponding with the centerof shaft 6, it would only touch the bed at the extremes of motion and belifted from it at the center. To prevent this the platen is turned oncenters nearer its bearing face, so as to give it such a degree ofeccentricity as will exactly compensate for the rising and falling ofshaft 6 and cause the face of B, to bear equally upon the bed at allpoints. The radius bars answer the double purpose of communicatingmotion to the platen and holding it down while giving the impression.

n, a, are the ink rollers, connected by link 0, with the radius bars, sothat as the bars vibrate they roll over cylinder t, to receive a supplyof ink, and then over the form on bed A, to distribute it.

Attached to the ink roller shafts and carried by them is table j. Tothis table is fixed a pair of grippers 2. The sheets to be printed arelaid on table '5, and fed down to its edge. Upon the forward motion ofthe machine, grippers 2, grasp the sheet and draw it off table 2', ontotable 7', and carry it forward until the platen assumes the positionshown in Fig. 2, when the sheet is delivered to grippers .2 attached tosegment B, which close upon it, grippers .2, at the same time opening torelease it, and then return for a fresh sheet. Table m, is for receivingthe printed sheets. It has a raised edge on three sides, the end piecestapering down thin next the platen that it may run under and catch thelower edge of the sheets. This table is also connected to the radiusbars, (by link 0) and moves with them, sliding out on brackets p, p, toclear the platen as it rolls forward and running in to receive the sheetas it rolls back.

The fly f, f, is made of two elastic strips of steel attached to theplaten at one end and connected by a cross piece at the other. As theplaten rolls forward the fly is bent around it until the cross piececomes over the grippers or catches on shaft h, when toe 2 strikes stud3, and trips the grippers so that they catch the fly and hold it fast.Grippers z, are connected with h, and close at the same time. As the bedrolls back the sheet is printed and wound upon B. When the printing iscompleted toe 4, comes in contact with the bed and through connection 5,opens both grippers z and h, and the elasticity of fly f, straightens itout and lays the sheet" on table m, while the fly rests upon theinclined ends of the table, so as not to drag the sheet out as the tableruns forward.

The bed is raised and lowered by mechanism not shown in the drawings.

Fig. 3, shows the fly partly bent around the platen.

The operation will now be thus: lVhen the machine is in operation, asheet fed to the lower edge of z', is seized by grippers 2, and drawnover the form on bed A, and delivered to grippers 2 on platen B. Thesame movement draws the ink rollers over the form and does the inking,bends up the fly and closes grippers z and h. The return NORTH 5L WOGDPlow.

Patented Nov. lO 1857

